Public Opinion

Flashcards on Public Opinion, Political Socialization, and Ideologies

Public opinion

The values and attitudes that people have about issues, events, and personalities.

Values (or beliefs)

A person’s basic orientations to politics. Examples: Want spending low, less government intrusion, or government should care for the needy.

Political ideology

A cohesive set of beliefs that form a general philosophy about government.

Attitude (or opinion)

Specific view about a particular issue, personality, or event.

Political socialization

The process through which underlying political beliefs and values are formed.

Agents of socialization

Family, social groups, school, church, psychology, genetics, rationality

Social Groups

People with similar traits or backgrounds have similar life experiences that shape their understanding of the political world.

School/civic education

Designed to create informed and educated citizens

Religious beliefs

Dictate a number of beliefs and actions in a person’s life.

Psychological

Research has shown that personality can drive political behavior.

Self-interested rationality

Beliefs are based on interest, outcomes are determined by personal gain.

Critical evaluation rationality

Beliefs or positions are determined by acquiring information, evaluating all opposition, and developing a belief based on all available data; outcomes are not always based on gain or self-interest.

Information shortcuts

Information takes time to acquire, and critical evaluation is impossible for every topic/issue. Therefore, people rely heavily on shortcuts to inform their beliefs.

Cognitive dissonance

The act of only seeking out information that falls in accordance with one’s beliefs.

Affective

Emotional component of attitudes (like/dislike, favor/oppose).

Cognitive

Knowledge, information component; serves as the basis for the attitude, but keep in mind that people's information may not be correct.

Liberty

Freedom from governmental control.

Equality of opportunity

People should have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealth they have to reach their fullest potential.

Democracy

A system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant part in the governmental process, usually through the election of key public officials.

Random Sample

A method used by pollsters to select a representative sample in which every individual in the population has an equal probability of being selected as a respondent.

Sampling error

Polling error that arises based on the small size of the sample.

Social desirability effects

The effect that results when respondents in a survey report what they expect the interviewer wishes to hear rather than what they believe.

Selection bias

Polling error that arises when the sample is not representative of the population being studied, which creates errors in overrepresenting or underrepresenting some opinions.

Push polling

A polling technique in which the questions are designed to shape the respondent’s opinion.

Bandwagon effect

A shift in electoral support to the candidate whom public opinion polls report as the front-runner.

Ideology

Set of underlying orientations, ideas, and beliefs about the proper role of government.

Modern Liberalism

Those who generally support governmental intervention in the economy, more economic equality, expansion of federal services and greater concern for consumers and the environment.

Modern Conservatism

Those who generally support the social and economic status quo and believe that large and powerful government poses a threat to citizens’ freedom.

Libertarianism

A political ideology that emphasizes freedom and voluntary association with small government.

Socialism

A political ideology that emphasizes social ownership and strong government.